1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat radiating structure for an electronic module and an electronic device having the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a heat radiating structure which can quickly release heat from the electronic module outside, and for an electronic device having the same structure thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
In accordance with the recent development of the overall industrial technologies, multi-functional electronic devices with superb quality have been continuously introduced these days.
Not only are the electronic devices of excellent quality and contain more multi-function capability than ever before, but such electronic devices also have been getting smaller and light-weighted. The reduced size and weight facilitates portability. However the reduced size introduces problems with heat release because of the high temperature generated form the densely packed components.
For example, the cellular phone is one of the most popularized electronic devices and has been upgraded with more superb qualities and multi-functions despite its increasingly minimized size and weight. Therefore, it is very easy for the user to carry and keep the cellular phone.
A plurality of the components are densely packed to fit in the thinner and smaller space of the cellular phone for better quality and multi-functionality than ever before. When high temperature is generated from one or more of the components inside, it is very difficult to dissipate generated high temperature to the outside of the cell phone.
Especially when the electronic modules, such as a projector module, which generates lots of heat, are installed inside the cell phone and are generating a great deal of heat during operation, the heat-release problem is getting worse.
To solve this kind of heat-release problem, the electronic devices having a heat radiating structure for releasing heat from an electronic module have been introduced.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a prior art electronic device with a heat radiating structure for an electronic module. Referring now to FIG. 1, as an example of the electronic module of the prior art, a projector module 20 is installed inside the case of the electronic device like a cell phone case 10.
The projector module 20 includes a projection unit 21, which generates comparatively less heat, and a lighting unit 25, which generates comparatively lots of heat. The projection unit 21 includes a display unit 22 and an optical unit 23, and the lighting unit 25 includes an LED 26 as a light source and a substrate 27 formed with an LED 26 thereon.
Still referring to FIG. 1, a heat radiating structure for an electronic module 30 includes a heat transfer plate 31 formed to transfer heat from the projector module 20 to the outside by lengthening one side of the heavy heat generating part (hereinafter called as ‘heavy heat generating part’) to the exterior for a certain distance; and a heat insulating plate 33 formed at the other side of the heavy heat generating part in order not to transfer the generated heat from the heavy heat generating part of the projector module 20 to the inside of the projector module 20, where the other components are installed.
Accordingly, the heat transfer plate 31 is installed on one side of the lighting unit 25, which is the heavy heat generating part, by extending from one side of the lighting unit 25 to the exterior for a certain distance, and the heat insulating plate 33 is arranged in the other side of the lighting unit 25.
As shown in FIG. 1, the heat generated from the heavy heat generating part of the electronic module, which originated from the lighting unit 25 of the projector module 20, cannot be transferred to the inside, where the other components are arranged, by the heat insulating plate 33. It can be transferred outside only through the heat transfer plate 31. Thus, some of the heat release problems from the electronic devices are partially resolved by the structure shown in FIG. 1.
Despite the above-mentioned advantages of the device shown in FIG. 1, there are still various disadvantages as discussed below with the heat radiating structure for an electronic module 30 and the electronic device having the same heat radiating structure.
Firstly, because the heat transfer plate 31 of the heat radiating structure for an electronic module 30 show in FIG. 1 is installed on one side of the lighting unit 25, which is the heavy heat generating part, by extending from one side of the lighting unit 25 to the outside for a certain distance, there is a problem in that the heat transfer plate occupies a significant amount of space of the electronic device. As previously mentioned, the latest trend is to minimize the size and the weight of the electronic devices, and most of the components are getting smaller and arranged in a compact space. However, the above-mentioned configure of the heat transfer plate 31 is against the trend as the size might even have to be enlarged in order to efficiently transfer heat from the electronic device.
Secondly, the heat radiating structure for an electronic module 30 shown in FIG. 1 is comprises the heat insulating plate 33, which prevents the heat from the lighting unit 25 from being transferred into the inside components; and the heat transfer plate 31 that transfers the heat from the lighting unit 25 to the outside. It is advantageous that the heat generated from the lighting unit 25 can be only transferred to the outside except the inside where the other components are installed. However, there will be a large difference in temperature between the inside and the outside of the heat insulating plate 33 because of the above-mentioned function of the heat insulating plate 33. Consequently, it may cause the substrate 27 of the lighting unit 25 to bend or twist and thus adversely change the alignment of the LED 26 formed on the substrate 27.
In case of the projector module 20 installed on electronic devices such as shown in FIG. 1, the alignment of the LED 26 as a light source of the lighting unit 25 may be changed so as to cause a problem of improper operation.